Title: The Gift (6/?)
Author: Bert
Disclaimer: BtVS characters are owned by Joss Whedon, The WB and Mutant Enemy, no copyright infringement is intended, blah blah de-blah
Summary: Not nice
"Argh… nothing," frustrated Buffy closed the book and threw it at the rapidly growing pile in the corner. "Face it Giles, for once there's nothing in your books to explain what happened earlier"
Giles sighed and pinched at the bridge of his nose, "there must be" he said leaning back in the chair, "it does not snow in the middle of June, especially in Sunnydale". He got up and tenderly picked up his precious book and neatly placed it on the stack.
"I've found something" Willow called from where she was working at the computer. Jumping up they rushed to stand around her screen as she pointed at the relevant parts of the page, "that church that Buffy found was abandoned in the thirties after the earthquake, it hasn't been used since"
Buffy flushed, "I didn't imagine it" she said, "when I was there the church looked well tended"
Willow scrolled further down the page, "was this him?" she asked bringing up the picture of the last priest to hold service there.
"That's him" Buffy said excitedly as his likeness appeared, her voice began to trail off as she realized something, "it looks exactly like him" she whispered awed at what she had just experienced.
"Oh my…" Giles shifted uncomfortably, "what happened to him?"
Willow scanned the text, "something like he died that night praying, they found his broken body the next day lying in front of cross."
"A ghost?"
Giles shook his head, "maybe, maybe not. Did you find anything about the unusual weather we're experiencing?"
"Nothing" Willow shook her head, "if it is a spell then the caster is very powerful, it takes a lot to change the weather so dramatically and keep it active or so long"
They turned as Giles' front door slammed open and quickly slammed shut again, "He's going to break that door" grumbled Giles as a grinning Spike strode into the room, "and then I'll stake him" he tried to sound convincing.
The smile on Spike's face fell as he saw Buffy standing there save and well, "how the hell did you survive?" he asked dejectedly. "If I knew you were alive I wouldn't have wasted my time searching for your frozen corpse" he shook his head sadly. "I even had a touching eulogy all worked out for when I announced your untimely death to the other wankers" he said before diving into the kitchen to raid the fridge for blood.
"Gee Spike, we love you too" Buffy called behind him.
"I hope not" Spike shot back returning with a glass of blood, "cheer's" he grinned and raised the glass in mock salute before nosily gulping it down.
"If you're quite done" interrupted Giles, "there's still plenty of research that needs doing"
Spike looked around at the disheveled room, he shook his head and moved to his favorite chair knocking off the disorganized pile of books resting on top of it. "What?" he asked when he saw them staring at him. Picking up the nearest book he opened it in the middle and pretended to read, "what is it am I looking for?" he asked peering over the book.
Spike unlife was saved by someone pounding on the front door, ignoring the vampire for now Giles exited the room and walked over wondering who it could be. Opening the door and looking out onto his porch. Standing there looking around was a young woman in her late teens obviously trying to determine if she was present at the right house. "May I help you?" he asked after clearing his throat to catch her attention.
She smiled and turned her gaze upon him, "Hi, My name is Cassandra and I was wondering if this was the residence of Rupert Giles?" she asked confidently, already sure of the answer that he would give.
Giles stopped himself from staggering back under the look she gave him, her intense green eyes stripping him to the very core of his being, "I'm Rupert, what can I do for you?".
Cassandra smiled and barged past him into the house, "Well you could let me in considering its freezing out there." She walked past him into the house, "oh and close the door behind you, you're causing a draft"
Giles mutely did as he was told and closed the door, unable to form a coherent thought to explain what had just happened. "Of course, why don't you come in", "why thank you" Giles mimicked quietly under his breath as he joined her at the entrance of the room.
She stood there and looked into the room, seeing the others present she silently calculated who was who before entering. Without a word she smiled up at Giles and walked forward into the room carefully avoiding the books littering the floor. Pausing by the couch she flipped back her hood to reveal long blonde hair before taking off her thick jacket. Ignoring Buffy who was currently sitting on it, she deposited her coat and headed over towards the fire. "That's good" she said crouching down by it, enjoying the feeling of its heats against her cold body.
The others stared at her as she sat there in silence before turning their questioning gazes back towards Giles. He merely raised an eyebrow in return before clearing his throat. "Just who are you?" he asked testily.
There gazes flicked back towards the stranger, eagerly awaiting her answer. "Do you remember Trudy?" she asked him in return.
Disappointed with her answer they turned to watch Giles' response, "Trudy?" he repeated, deep in thought as he tried to remember, "Trudy Johnson?" he asked. Receiving her answering nod he became more excited, "I haven't seen her since I was at the council head quarters, I last heard from her when she was watching a potential slayer over in Phoenix…" he trailed off and looked back towards her, "you're Cassie?"
Cassie nodded, "in the flesh"
"So where's Trudy?"
"A demon came after us" she looked sad for a moment before brightening considerably, "although she did tell me lots about you and your charges" she nodded towards the other occupants of the room. Standing up Cassie walked over and stood in front of Spike, "You must be Spike"
Spike returned her gaze and eyed her body appreciatively, "well hello" he tried to say smoothly.
Cassie smiled sweetly before poking him in the eye, "Hands off or my boyfriend will rip off your head"
"I like to see him try" Spike said with false bravado switching to his demonic face.
"Oh he will," Cassie turned her back on him and walked over to Willow who was looking at her with interest, "and you're Willow" she said.
Willow nodded in return, "Hi"
She smiled before turning to the last occupant, "which leaves Buffy," she looked deep into Buffy's eyes. Buffy stood there and returned her gaze, unwilling to be intimidated by this intruder into her cozy little world. Cassie shrugged, "I don't see the family resemblance myself" she joked.
"Huh?" Buffy looked over at Giles to provide the answer.
"You mean they finally found it?" he asked obviously excited, "they managed to find the gene?"
"Yeah, discovered that we're all one big happy family" she spread her arms out wide, "if you go back far enough that is"
"Just what is going on here?" fumed Buffy at being left in the dark.
Giles blinked and switched into lecture mode, "when DNA was first discovered back in the fifties the council immediately saw its potential in identifying future slayers. Instead of relying on portents, prophecies and signs they now had a scientific method of discovering who could become a slayer. They've been searching for the common factors for years and it now looks like they have found it," he nodded at Cassie.
Buffy looked blankly at him, "and in English that means?"
Giles sighed, "she's distantly related to you, all the slayers are"
"Bollocks" the voice came over from where Spike was feigning interest in the book he was reading.
"You say something deadboy?" Cassie asked stalking towards him.
Spike looked up defiantly at her, "Yeah I was just saying…" he trailed off and looked behind her when he saw the others staring at them.
Cassie turned around, "what?" she asked looking down at her body, "what is it?" she asked.
"Spike" Giles muttered when he found his voice, "that name you just called Spike, where did you hear it?" he asked.
"You mean deadboy?" she asked. "Damn I blew it" she cursed softly when they nodded in return, "don't knock it G-man, I know all your little secrets." She raised her voice, "you can come in now" she shouted towards the window.
They heard Giles' front door being opened and someone enter the house, eyes betraying their hope they turned towards the doorway and looked in disbelief when Xander walked into view. For once even Spike was speechless.
"Hey Guys" he gave a little wave, he was unable to continue as Buffy let out a scream of pure rage and pulled out a stake. Before anyone could stop her she leapt at him and plunged it deep into his chest.
Author: Bert
Disclaimer: BtVS characters are owned by Joss Whedon, The WB and Mutant Enemy, no copyright infringement is intended, blah blah de-blah
Summary: Not nice
"Argh… nothing," frustrated Buffy closed the book and threw it at the rapidly growing pile in the corner. "Face it Giles, for once there's nothing in your books to explain what happened earlier"
Giles sighed and pinched at the bridge of his nose, "there must be" he said leaning back in the chair, "it does not snow in the middle of June, especially in Sunnydale". He got up and tenderly picked up his precious book and neatly placed it on the stack.
"I've found something" Willow called from where she was working at the computer. Jumping up they rushed to stand around her screen as she pointed at the relevant parts of the page, "that church that Buffy found was abandoned in the thirties after the earthquake, it hasn't been used since"
Buffy flushed, "I didn't imagine it" she said, "when I was there the church looked well tended"
Willow scrolled further down the page, "was this him?" she asked bringing up the picture of the last priest to hold service there.
"That's him" Buffy said excitedly as his likeness appeared, her voice began to trail off as she realized something, "it looks exactly like him" she whispered awed at what she had just experienced.
"Oh my…" Giles shifted uncomfortably, "what happened to him?"
Willow scanned the text, "something like he died that night praying, they found his broken body the next day lying in front of cross."
"A ghost?"
Giles shook his head, "maybe, maybe not. Did you find anything about the unusual weather we're experiencing?"
"Nothing" Willow shook her head, "if it is a spell then the caster is very powerful, it takes a lot to change the weather so dramatically and keep it active or so long"
They turned as Giles' front door slammed open and quickly slammed shut again, "He's going to break that door" grumbled Giles as a grinning Spike strode into the room, "and then I'll stake him" he tried to sound convincing.
The smile on Spike's face fell as he saw Buffy standing there save and well, "how the hell did you survive?" he asked dejectedly. "If I knew you were alive I wouldn't have wasted my time searching for your frozen corpse" he shook his head sadly. "I even had a touching eulogy all worked out for when I announced your untimely death to the other wankers" he said before diving into the kitchen to raid the fridge for blood.
"Gee Spike, we love you too" Buffy called behind him.
"I hope not" Spike shot back returning with a glass of blood, "cheer's" he grinned and raised the glass in mock salute before nosily gulping it down.
"If you're quite done" interrupted Giles, "there's still plenty of research that needs doing"
Spike looked around at the disheveled room, he shook his head and moved to his favorite chair knocking off the disorganized pile of books resting on top of it. "What?" he asked when he saw them staring at him. Picking up the nearest book he opened it in the middle and pretended to read, "what is it am I looking for?" he asked peering over the book.
Spike unlife was saved by someone pounding on the front door, ignoring the vampire for now Giles exited the room and walked over wondering who it could be. Opening the door and looking out onto his porch. Standing there looking around was a young woman in her late teens obviously trying to determine if she was present at the right house. "May I help you?" he asked after clearing his throat to catch her attention.
She smiled and turned her gaze upon him, "Hi, My name is Cassandra and I was wondering if this was the residence of Rupert Giles?" she asked confidently, already sure of the answer that he would give.
Giles stopped himself from staggering back under the look she gave him, her intense green eyes stripping him to the very core of his being, "I'm Rupert, what can I do for you?".
Cassandra smiled and barged past him into the house, "Well you could let me in considering its freezing out there." She walked past him into the house, "oh and close the door behind you, you're causing a draft"
Giles mutely did as he was told and closed the door, unable to form a coherent thought to explain what had just happened. "Of course, why don't you come in", "why thank you" Giles mimicked quietly under his breath as he joined her at the entrance of the room.
She stood there and looked into the room, seeing the others present she silently calculated who was who before entering. Without a word she smiled up at Giles and walked forward into the room carefully avoiding the books littering the floor. Pausing by the couch she flipped back her hood to reveal long blonde hair before taking off her thick jacket. Ignoring Buffy who was currently sitting on it, she deposited her coat and headed over towards the fire. "That's good" she said crouching down by it, enjoying the feeling of its heats against her cold body.
The others stared at her as she sat there in silence before turning their questioning gazes back towards Giles. He merely raised an eyebrow in return before clearing his throat. "Just who are you?" he asked testily.
There gazes flicked back towards the stranger, eagerly awaiting her answer. "Do you remember Trudy?" she asked him in return.
Disappointed with her answer they turned to watch Giles' response, "Trudy?" he repeated, deep in thought as he tried to remember, "Trudy Johnson?" he asked. Receiving her answering nod he became more excited, "I haven't seen her since I was at the council head quarters, I last heard from her when she was watching a potential slayer over in Phoenix…" he trailed off and looked back towards her, "you're Cassie?"
Cassie nodded, "in the flesh"
"So where's Trudy?"
"A demon came after us" she looked sad for a moment before brightening considerably, "although she did tell me lots about you and your charges" she nodded towards the other occupants of the room. Standing up Cassie walked over and stood in front of Spike, "You must be Spike"
Spike returned her gaze and eyed her body appreciatively, "well hello" he tried to say smoothly.
Cassie smiled sweetly before poking him in the eye, "Hands off or my boyfriend will rip off your head"
"I like to see him try" Spike said with false bravado switching to his demonic face.
"Oh he will," Cassie turned her back on him and walked over to Willow who was looking at her with interest, "and you're Willow" she said.
Willow nodded in return, "Hi"
She smiled before turning to the last occupant, "which leaves Buffy," she looked deep into Buffy's eyes. Buffy stood there and returned her gaze, unwilling to be intimidated by this intruder into her cozy little world. Cassie shrugged, "I don't see the family resemblance myself" she joked.
"Huh?" Buffy looked over at Giles to provide the answer.
"You mean they finally found it?" he asked obviously excited, "they managed to find the gene?"
"Yeah, discovered that we're all one big happy family" she spread her arms out wide, "if you go back far enough that is"
"Just what is going on here?" fumed Buffy at being left in the dark.
Giles blinked and switched into lecture mode, "when DNA was first discovered back in the fifties the council immediately saw its potential in identifying future slayers. Instead of relying on portents, prophecies and signs they now had a scientific method of discovering who could become a slayer. They've been searching for the common factors for years and it now looks like they have found it," he nodded at Cassie.
Buffy looked blankly at him, "and in English that means?"
Giles sighed, "she's distantly related to you, all the slayers are"
"Bollocks" the voice came over from where Spike was feigning interest in the book he was reading.
"You say something deadboy?" Cassie asked stalking towards him.
Spike looked up defiantly at her, "Yeah I was just saying…" he trailed off and looked behind her when he saw the others staring at them.
Cassie turned around, "what?" she asked looking down at her body, "what is it?" she asked.
"Spike" Giles muttered when he found his voice, "that name you just called Spike, where did you hear it?" he asked.
"You mean deadboy?" she asked. "Damn I blew it" she cursed softly when they nodded in return, "don't knock it G-man, I know all your little secrets." She raised her voice, "you can come in now" she shouted towards the window.
They heard Giles' front door being opened and someone enter the house, eyes betraying their hope they turned towards the doorway and looked in disbelief when Xander walked into view. For once even Spike was speechless.
"Hey Guys" he gave a little wave, he was unable to continue as Buffy let out a scream of pure rage and pulled out a stake. Before anyone could stop her she leapt at him and plunged it deep into his chest.